Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (read with me TXT) 📕

me hurt like that too. Maybe somewhere in my head I thought if I could choose the thing that was hurting me, it would somehow keep anything else bad from happening to me.” I shrug, I don’t know if any of this makes sense, but I’ve had a lot of time to think about it over the last few days.

“So wanting Tyler from afar was safer,” Olivia says quietly. “I get it. If I could choose between a crush who didn’t know I existed and losing my mom…well, that’s an easy choice.” Olivia laughs a little at that.

We sit in silence for a minute before Olivia’s voice comes out of the darkness. “I owe you an apology for more than that. I’m sorry I told my dad I was with you when I was really out with Tyler. The first time it was true, when we went on our double date. But my dad was so happy to let me stay out later, he wouldn’t grill me on where I was going if I said I was with you.” She shrugs. “It’s not a good excuse, but it’s the truth. I shouldn’t have used you like that. I’m sorry.”

“I guess I’m so lame, even our parents don’t think I’ll get up to any kind of trouble.” I wince at my own words. Is that really what I think? Kind of.

“You’re not lame. You have goals, you know what you want and you know what you have to do to make them happen. I’m kind of jealous, I feel like I’m just making shit up as I go most of the time.”

“So what happens now?” I ask quietly. “I know we’re not best friends anymore. You were right, we haven’t been for a long time. But you’ve always been there. I don’t know how to not think of you as my best friend.”

“You have Katy and Lisa. They’ve been your best friends for ages now, even if you didn’t realize it.”

“I know, I guess I’ve known for awhile. It’s weird to hear you say it though,” I add, bumping her shoulder with mine.

“I meant it when I said I don’t hate you.” Oliva says, sitting up straighter. “Just because we aren’t each other’s best friend, doesn’t mean we can’t just be regular friends. We’ll still be together at dance.”

“Yeah. The last few weeks have really sucked not hanging out with you at dance.” I admit. “I miss you there the most.”

“Same.” Olivia admits. “So. Not a truce. I don’t think there’s a name for this. Just…” Olivia seems stuck, looking for the right word.

“Just friends.” I say, holding out my hand like we’re going to shake on it.

Oliva bursts out laughing at my lame offer of a handshake, instead giving me a quick hug. “Yeah, just friends.” she says. We sit awkwardly in silence for a minute. I study the scene inside, smiling at Lisa when she makes eye contact with me through the window. I feel lighter than I have in months, just sitting in here in the dark with my friend. I forgot what that felt like.

“So… what’s up with Trevor, huh? Should I warn him he’s got competition from Andrew?” Olivia’s words echo in the dark.

“Ugh, no. Definitely not,” I laugh with a shudder at the thought. “Trevor’s…good? I don’t really know what I’m doing, to tell you the truth.” I turn to face Olivia, glad to see a genuine smile on her face. “Does he really…I mean, do you know for sure what he told Tyler?”

Olivia just laughs at me and pulls me towards the house. “Okay, let’s grab Lisa and Katy, we’re having a girls’ pow-wow upstairs. I know exactly what he told Tyler and I’m gonna help you out.”

Epilogue Lisa

I do my best to keep an eye on Hannah and Olivia through the glass door, although Hunter’s thigh pressing against my arm is completely distracting. It looks like they’re clearing the air between them, finally. Of course, every time Hunter moves I have to stop myself from glancing at him. Instead, I keep my eyes glued to the tv screen, not that I know what I’m looking at, with the occasional glance behind his back to the backyard.

I’m relieved to see Hannah and Oliva working things out. Frankly, the tension between them has been exhausting. Katy and I have been doing our best to keep things quiet so Ms. Parker and the younger kids at dance don’t know how bad it is, but since Katy can’t stand Olivia, for some reason, it’s really been me acting as the go-between.

Between the tension at dance, AP classes, and Japanese school on Sundays, I feel like all I do is go, go, go. I just want a day to do absolutely nothing. Just one whole day. Tonight is the first time I’ve spent a Saturday night not studying since Winter Break. My parents expect me to spend all my time at home downstairs at the kitchen table where they can see me working—I learned a long time ago to pick my battles, and school-work is not a battle I will ever win.

But I have a plan.

I’m not going to cram school in Japan this summer, I’m determined to go to the PSB summer intensive with Hannah and I think I know how to convince my parents to let me go. It’s not going to be easy, but I think with Hannah and Katy’s help, I might just have a chance.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Hannah, Olivia and the gang! Hannah’s story continues in Head to Head, available at this link:

https://books2read.com/u/mq0OL8.

Want to know what happened when Olivia “bumped” into Tyler that fateful morning? Sign up for Penelope’s newsletter for a special bonus prequel!

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Acknowledgements

Hey beautiful, we made it! What a journey this has been. Hannah’s story started percolating in my mind way back